Coal may be converted by heating into a solid carbonaceous residue known as char, gas containing significant amounts of hydrogen and liquids having large proportions of aromatics and heterocyclics. This is generally described as coal carbonization. When high sulfur coal is carbonized, it is especially important that a low sulfur char be obtained which is suitable for use as a solid fuel material in metallurgical ore reduction processes or as a solid fuel for general heating purposes. Even if the char is not destined for the production of metallurgical coke, but is to be burnt as a fuel, present emphasis on low sulfur fuels to reduce sulfur oxide air pollution, also favors the production of low sulfur char. The large volumes of product gas require economic and effective means for conversion into more valuable individual components. By the practice of the invention, these and other related difficulties are overcome.